Method of making yarn



Sept. 3, 1940. K. H. GIBSON METHOD OF MAKING YARN Filed Sept. 26, 1936 Ja e/250i:

I M M Patented Sept. 3,. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD OF MAKING YARN Kirkland H. Gibson, Dedhflm, Mass. Application September 26,1936, Serial No 102,745

1 Claim.

The manufacturer of spinnable slivers from artificial filaments such as rayon, glass, cellulose ester, such as acetate, or similar filaments, receives the staple fibers in large bales containing the short staple fibers. To form a, sliver suitable for spinning, it has been common practice'to subject these masses f staple fibers to an opening operation, a picking operation, a carding operation and to treat them in a roving doubler and a combing machine in a manner similar to the treatment of cotton fibers.

It is an object of the present invention to eliminate many of the operations, heretofore required and to lower the cost of manufacture of slivers from artificial staple fibers.

The present invention is-based upon the discovery that a spinnable sliver may be produced by forming a plurality of groups of staple fibers in each of which the fibers are longitudinally displaced each with relation to the others and then bringing the groups together inoyerlapped relation and twisting to form the sliver. This may be accomplished, preferably, by feeding a plurality of continuous filaments in parallel relation and cutting the plurality of filaments, while in this relation by a knife operating in a plane intersecting the filaments at an acute or obtuse angle, thereby forming groups in which the staple fibers of each group are arranged so that each is longitudinally displaced with relation to the others. The fibers of each group are then brought together while maintafning their displaced relation and the groups are overlapped and twisted to form a sliver.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a suitable apparatus for practice of the invention; and

Fig.2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the same taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing; since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not oi limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the practice of the 'ivention, a plurality of filaments III are fed by the pairs of feed rolls l2 and I3 in parallel relation over a table It. The plurality of continuous filaments l may be supplied to the feed rolls I2 irom any suitable source. As shown in the accompanying drawing, they are extruded simultaneously from a plurality of nozzles l5 and caused to pass through suitable hardening solutions contained in vats l5 and then between the rolls I2 and I3. The rolls l3 feed the plurality of parallel filaments l0 through a cutting device having a knife operating to intersect and cut the filaments l0 along a line at an acute or an obtuse angle, whereby a plurality of groups 2| of short staple fibers are formed in which 15 the staple fibers of each'group are ofsubstantiallythe same length and are positioned so that each is longitudinally displaced with relas tion to the others.

The groups 2| of staple fibers are fed by an endless belt 23 toward draft rolls 25 and, while being so fed, are caused to be brought together, while maintaining their displaced relation, by suitable'means, such as converging baflles 26, whichnot only bring the fibers of each group together but direct the groups of fibers between the draftrolls 25. At the same time the adjacent groups 2| of'staple fibers are brought into overlapped relation. That is, as the groups 2| move toward the draft rolls 25, the fibers of the groups are moved'transversely by engagement with the baiiles 26 and by the time the fibers reach the outlet between the baflies they have become arranged in a compact group with some of the fibers superposed upon others so that they pass between the draft rolls in an untwisted rope-like arrangement. These overlapped groups 2| of staple fibers pass over a grooved guide 21 and through the rotating head 28 into a rotating can 30. The head 28 and the can 30 are rotated in the usual manner at different speeds to twist the overlapped groups of staple fibers to form the sliver.

The angular position and operation of the knife 20 and the feed of the pluralityo! filaments I0 is so arranged or controlled that staple fibers of any desired length may be formed, such, for example, as staple fibers of from 1 to about 3 inchesin length. g

It will be apparent to those skilled in .the art that the groups of staple fibers may be assem- 60 bled in well known manner to obtain any of the various forms of slivers heretofore produced. Thus, either a regular or reverse sliver can be produced, depending upon the direction of rotation of the head of the can ill. The essential lel staple fibers in each of which the adjacent fibers are progressively longitudinally displaced in the same direction, then supporting the fibers throughout their lengths while positively carrying the same on a longitudinally extending moving surface and simultaneously with said carrying, moving the fibers transversely to cause some of the fibers to move out of said plane in superposed relation and overlapping the fibers of said groups while maintaining the fibers of each group longitudinally displaced, and thereafter twisting said overlapped groups to form a sliver.

H. GIBSON. 

